Boko Haram leader was “fatally wounded” in air attack

The Nigerian air forces claim they have "fatally wounded" the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau and killed some senior militants in an air strike targeting a meeting of the Islamist group's commanders.

The fighters were attacked by government planes on Friday, when Shekau and other militants gathered for prayers in the village of Taye inside the Sambisa forest in Borno State.

"Their leader, so called 'Abubakar Shekau', is believed to be fatally wounded on his shoulders," Nigerian army spokesman Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman said in the statement released on Tuesday.

Also a number of commanders were confirmed dead, naming them as Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman.

Usman described the strikes as "the most unprecedented and spectacular air raid".

Shekau death was once reported in September 2014. But a month later, Shekau released a video saying: "Here I am, alive. I will only die the day Allah takes my breath." That time his double was believed to be killed instead.

Shekau’s last appearance was earlier this month in a video, where he threatened a major attack on the city of Abuja..

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